(Un)Break me - Rhea Ripley x reader

Leaver

a/n: heyyyy a late night chapter to celebrate the elimintation chambre (i may or may not have criei watching her interviews later bc of how proud of my baby i was). tell me what you think about it in the comments? (either about the chapter or the EC, or anything really)

I always have more ways to break. I always have more mistakes I know I'll make.

Rhea's POV

I plop down on the couch beside Y/N. Her overall demeanor seems more open today, more willing to talk, so I decide on trying.

"So, how was your day?"

"It was ok I guess... Oh! And I also bought you something!" She said while taking out a small velvet box from her pocket and opening it in front of me.

"Y/N, you didn't have to." It was a necklace with a key pendant on it. It had an intricate design and a tiny obsidian on it, matching not only our promise rings but also one of the necklaces she always had on. She must've remembered the night I asked about the key for it and that thought warms my heart. "It's so beautiful! I loved it. Thank you." I take the jewelry from the box, admiring it closely. I kiss her cheek and she blushes. Cute. " Can you put it on for me?"

"Y-yeah, of course!" She looks a little hesitant, afraid even, but does what I ask anyway. "There you go...I like how it looks on you, by the way" She mumbles. "A while ago you asked me when you would have the key to my locket, and I said you already had it but never really explained why, which now that I think about it, you probably know what it means." She laughs softly. "I always wore this locket because I always thought it was a metaphor: I don't open up easily, but it seems like you had the key for it from the start, you opened my heart up without any struggle."

"I also opened other things without any struggle." I joke sassily. A smile grows on her face as she rolls her eyes. I missed this. Even if it wasn't such a long time, seeing your lover so distant like she was lately doesn't really feel that great.

"Shut up, this is supposed to be a heartfelt moment, you dirty buff woman." Y/N pushes my shoulder softly.

"Ok, ok, continue."

"Alright, uhm, geez." She tried regaining focus but I could see her mind getting pulled away in another direction, making her flustered. I knew exactly which one. I just laughed. "What I meant is, Demi, you understand me in ways no one ever did before. You've seen my good and my bad and even with all my fucked up emotional baggage, you stayed. You are still here despite it all. I am so thankful for you I can't even begin to describe it, but I also know I don't say this half as much as I should so I thought this could be a tiny reminder of that." She points to her necklace.

"Aw, starlove, that's so cute! I loved it, I really did." I smile fondly.

"And it is also my shitty attempt of an apology for the past weeks. I know words don't cut it but I need you to know I really am sorry. For everything. I'm sorry I ruined your time. You should be having fun being a champion, not worrying about my pathetic mood swings." There is self hatred in her voice.

"Oh honey. It's not like we didn't celebrate, if I remember correctly, that mouth does way more than just-"

"Rhea, oh my god!" She interrupts me though I can see she's trying hard not to laugh.

"Also, we can't control those feelings. It wasn't your fault. It's ok, really." I cooed, pulling her into a hug.

"It is not." Her voice was muffled against my shoulder. She pulls away to look me in the eyes. "I don't even know why I was feeling that way, to be honest. It shouldn't have been that big of a deal to begin with: people get fired all of the time. In my case, it was because of that stupid contract. I shot myself in the foot on this one I guess since I was the one who came up with it in the first place...Fuck, how could I have been so dumb to think Robert would take it easy on me a second time. Well, he saw the pictures from the party and gave me shit about it, which kind of triggered me." I could sense this wasn't a comfortable subject for her because despite opening up, there's still a few things she doesn't want to tell. What did Robert say to her? What specifically did it trigger? What were the following thoughts?

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't feel comfortable with, love."

"I do. I want to." My eyebrows raise in surprise. That's new. She's usually not the best at communicating so I try to encourage her by holding her hands.

"Ok then, I'll make sure to listen." The corners of her lips curl up a bit. I've seen it before, it is her way of saying 'thank you' without actually saying anything.

"I didn't want to bother you that day because I thought I'd get over it in a couple hours. Haha. Joke's on me. It obviously didn't, then my head went into overdrive. I had so many things on my mind that I didn't even wanna think, let alone talk about any of them. I was barely coping with my emotions and my thoughts kept messing things up inside of me: I wanted a way out. I just needed an escape and I didn't want to drag you down with me but of course, that's exactly what I ended up doing. It was a free fall but I didn't hit rock bottom... because you stopped me. You stopped me from it by just being there, by being here. Hell, I may have been apathetic but even so I could see it took a toll on you. I noticed when you started getting home later and when you started to talk less... and I am so sorry." Y/N slowly had made her way onto my lap while she was speaking, her back against my chest.

I hugged her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder and breathing in the fresh perfume she wore, as well as a faint smell of tobacco.

"You knew I needed some space and more importantly, some time. I literally wasn't capable of giving you anything in return but you didn't leave, even when it wasn't easy for you to stay, you still helped me . You put your needs aside to be there for me, which is something I don't understand, but it is undeniably the kindest thing someone has ever done for me. Thank you so much, Demi ." She says as she tries to get impossibly closer to me starting to play with my rings. I kissed her bare shoulder in response.

"Though I don't exactly understand why you stayed, I am so fucking glad you did. You had every reason to leave. I would leave myself if I were you..." She tries to laugh it off but I can feel it hurts her to say it just as much it hurts me to hear it.

Y/N's POV

"I would never leave you just because you were going through hard times, love. Quite on the other hand: I know what it feels like to go through dark times on your own and I would never let the woman I love feel like I felt one day." Her past with depression is not a secret between us. "Relationships are not built exclusively on the good moments, they are also built on the way we go through the bad ones, and from where I see, I think we are doing it just fine." You can already feel a knot forming on your throat.

"Are we really, though? If all I do is start fires and you're always the one having to put them out?" Your tone came out more aggressive than you intended.

"Y/N, none of this was your fault. We can't control these things." She repeats.

How couldn't she see you take more than you give?

How couldn't she see you're not good enough for her?

"I am a walking pile of flaws, Demi! I can never not fuck things up! Can't you see that?! Why would you settle for someone like me when you could have literally anyone?!" You're full-on crying right now, pacing in your tiny living room. Why isn't she pissed at you?

Both of you are getting frustrated with the direction this conversation is going.

"Because out of all people, I love you. I feel happy with you. I do notice your flaws...But they just happen to be exactly what I want. You're not half as bad as you see yourself, Y/N." Rhea walks up to you. You're still frantically pacing. "I love you for who you are, under all the scars and the pain and behind the huge walls you built around yourself. I love you because you are everything I could've asked for, even if you don't believe me: you're quirky, you're kind, you try your best all the time, you're funny, you're hot as fuck... I could go on for days. I stayed because I love you, can't you see that?!"

Of course she's right there to catch you when your knees buckle.